SS Conte Biancamano
 SS Conte Biancamano in 1950s
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Italy | |
| Name | SS Conte Biancamano |
| Namesake | Humbert I, Count of Savoy |
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry | .svg){kind=small} Genoa, Italy |
| Builder | William Beardmore & Co. of Glasgow , Scotland |
| Launched | 23 April 1925 |
| Maiden voyage | 20 November 1925 |
| Fate | Seized by the United States in December 1941 |
.svg){kind=small} United States | |
| Name | USS Hermitage (AP-54) |
| Christened | 1942 |
| Completed | 1942 |
| Commissioned | 14 August 1942 |
| Decommissioned | 20 August 1946 |
| Fate | Returned to the Italian Line in 1947 |
 Italy | |
| Name | Conte Biancamano |
| Operator | 1947–1960: Italian Line |
| Port of registry |  Genoa, Italy |
| Builder | Shipyards of Monfalcone |
| Completed | 1948 |
| Maiden voyage | 1949 |
| In service | 1947 |
| Out of service | 26 March 1960 |
| Fate | Scrapped 1960–1964 at La Spezia, Italy |
| Notes | Partially saved as a museum exhibit at the National Museum of Science and Technology named Leonardo da Vinci |
| General characteristics | |
| Type |
|
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 203.56 m (667 ft 10 in) |
| Beam | 23.24 m (76 ft 3 in) |
| Height | 8.36 m (27 ft 5 in) |
| Propulsion | steam turbines double reduction unit and two propellers |
| Speed | 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Capacity | 180 1st class, 220 2nd class, 390 economy class, 2,660 3rd class |
SS Conte Biancamano was an Italian
Conte Biancamano was the first of two sister ships, her sister Conte Grande not seeing completion until 1927.
First years of service
Conte Biancamano was launched 23 April 1925, and made her maiden voyage on 20 November 1925 from Genoa to New York, sailing, as expected, on a direct route to North America. The ship, provided with all the most innovative amenities of its time, was intended primarily as a luxury liner.
The last trip for the Lloyd Sabaudo departed from Genoa to New York on 25 November 1932.
In 1932, Lloyd Sabaudo, together with other Italian shipping companies, merged to form the famous Italian Line. The Conte Biancamano was then used for direct routes to South America. This was continued for six trips, the last of which began on 1 July 1932.
In 1934, she was used for military purposes. She carried troops and military equipment on behalf of the Ministry of the Navy in preparation for the war in Ethiopia.
In 1936, she was transferred to Lloyd Triestino, one of the companies in the group, which took a direct route to the Middle East.
In March 1939, the ship carried the first team of climbers (led by the mountaineer Fritz Wiessner) on the 1939 American Karakoram expedition to K2. Scenes of the team on board feature in a BBC documentary titled 'Mountain Men: The Ghosts of K2'.
In 1939 on at least one passage many German Jewish refugees were able to book passage on her, from Genoa to Shanghai, via the Suez Canal and with stops at many ports, as a means of escaping the Nazi terror and genocide. In 1940, she returned to Italian Line and was used for a trip from Genoa – Naples – Panama – Valparaiso – Panama.
USS Hermitage (AP-54)
At the start of the Second World War, she was seized and interned in the Panamanian port of
Operation Torch
Embarking 5,600 army troops and sailors, on 2 November 1942 Hermitage departed
2 March 1943.Pacific operations
Hermitage's next swing westward, begun 27 March took her to
Operation Overlord
Departing New York 16 June 1944 with over 6,000 passengers, most of them bound for the
Late- and post-war
Following the
On Thursday, 22 November 1945 the Hermitage sailed from Marseilles Harbor with 5,799 aboard with units from the 12th Armored Division and the 629th Tank Destroyer Battalion. The ship arrived in New York City on Saturday, 1 December 1945 at Pier 88 North River, at 48th Street at approximately noon.
Departing New York 12 December, the well-traveled transport sailed to
A return to Italy
In 1947, the ship was returned to Italy and underwent refit and modernization at a shipyard in Monfalcone in 1948. Structural changes saw her bow replaced with a sleeker design, as well as an increase in length overall. Interior changes included more passenger accommodations, increasing her capacity to 252 first-class passengers, 455 in cabin class, and 893 in economy class.
The refit also saw her name Conte Biancamano restored. With her structural and interior refit and modernization completed, she became the premiere ocean liner of the renewed Italian merchant fleet. Her interior refit was made possible through the collaboration of painters such as
On 14 July 1949, Conte Biancamano was placed on the Genoa – Buenos Aires route until 21 March 1950 when she was moved to the Genoa – Naples – Cannes – New York route.
She was returned to the Genoa-Buenos Aires route in 1957, until at least 1958. In May 1957 the body of the late Eva Perón (Evita) was transported on the Conte Biancamano under a false name, for interment in Italy.
On 26 March 1960, she began her last voyage on the Genoa – Naples –
See also
References
- ^ "Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships". ibiblio.org. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
- ^ 5"/38 caliber dual purpose gun
- ^ 3"/50 caliber dual purpose gun
- ^ SS Conte Biancamano, Museo Scienza website.
- Museo nazionale della scienza e della tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
Reading list
- Hermitage AP-54 – DANFS Online.
- AP-54 Hermitage, Navsource Online.
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.